In my time of dying
by Yellowwolf
Summary: Arthur is dying, Dom refuses to accept it. Warning: character dying! Slash. Don't like, don't read.


**Disclaimer:** Inception and its characters belong to Christopher Nolan and the wonderful people who made this movie possible.  
**Warning**: Again, character dying!  
**Note: **Don't even know where this came from, but it had to be written! Title taken from the Supernatural episode with the same name.

**In my time of dying**

_There's nothing you can do._

The words kept repeating in Dom's head like a mantra, stuck on repeat without a way to stop them. They were pounding against the inside of his skull, making him want to cry out in desperation and frustration. But he didn't. He couldn't because then the protective walls he'd so carefully constructed would come down and then there would be no stopping his despair.

So instead, he focused on something more productive. He tried to find a solution, an answer, something that would contradict what all of Saito's expensive experts had said. They were wrong. All of them. There had to be something they could do, something they hadn't tried yet. Dom wasn't going to accept anything else. He couldn't.

"Dom," Came Arthur's tired voice from somewhere behind him.

Dom didn't look up from the computer screen nor did he acknowledge his boyfriend's presence in any way. If he did, Arthur would speak the words that had haunted him ever since he told him the dreadful truth.

_There's nothing you can do._

Dom's jaw was clenched so tight he thought he might break his teeth. He still remembered the moment perfectly, five months ago when his entire world had come crashing down once more, when Arthur had told him he had an inoperable brain tumor and that the doctors had given him six months. That was two weeks after the doctors had told Arthur.

"Dom, please stop. There's no-"

"Don't." Dom interrupted, voice low in warning.

Arthur sighed. The soft thuds on the hardwood floor told Dom Arthur was walking over to him. He tensed up.

"It's two am. Just come to bed." Arthur said with an almost pleading note in his voice.

"I can't."

"Dom, look at me." Arthur said softly.

Dom couldn't.

"Look at me." Arthur repeated more persistently.

Dom reluctantly turned his head to gaze up at his lover. The sight of him still broke his heart. He had dark bags under his eyes and his face looked ashen. His hair that had once been neat was untidy. The clothes that once fit were hanging off his body. And yet, there was a spark in his beautiful brown eyes, a vibrant reminder of better times. Despite the sickness that was evident in every line of his body, Arthur was still gorgeous.

"You have to face the truth." Arthur spoke.

"I have. But there has to be something that they missed, a treatment or a medicine of sorts."

Arthur smiled softly, "We both know they didn't miss anything. Saito made sure that they didn't."

"I can't give up."

"It's not giving up when there's simply nothing to be found, Dom." Arthur reasoned.

Arthur's strength was admirable. Arthur had accepted it, pretty much from the beginning. There had been freak outs and outbursts. Arthur had broken down in his arms more than once, crying. But he'd accepted it. That was more than could be said of Dom. Even with the clock ticking down and the places he could check thinning out, there was still a huge part of Dom that refused to believe this was happening.

"I can't let you down."

Something bright burned in Arthur's eyes at that.

"You haven't! Not for a second. You've been there every step of the way, you've loved me. That's all I could have ever asked for."

The words broke Dom just a little more.

He stood up and wrapped his arms around the other man, hugging him tight. Arthur's arms came around his waist and he buried his face in the soft material of his t-shirt. The knowledge that one day he wouldn't be able to do this anymore was almost too much to handle. He clamped down on the wave of despair that rose within him. He fought the tears that threatened to fall. If Arthur could be strong, he could, too. For Arthur's sake.

"You have to stop looking." Arthur murmured.

"I know." Dom replied with a heavy heart. He pressed a kiss on top of Arthur's messy hair. He'd wasted enough time looking for a solution that didn't exist yet. He needed to make the most of the time they had left.

"Let's go to bed." Arthur suggested.

This time, Dom didn't object. He hesitated briefly before he closed the site he'd been looking at, knowing this was the last time he'd looked, letting go of that last flutter of hope that had kept him going. He swallowed past the lump in his throat and shut down the computer. There were more important things to do now.

By the time he'd switched into something more comfortable, Arthur had already slipped under the covers. He smiled at him and pushed back the covers, inviting him in their bed. Dom slipped in and immediately tugged Arthur closer to his side.

Arthur rested a hand on his chest and used it to prop himself up.

"I love you." Arthur whispered.

"I love you too."

Arthur leaned in and pressed their lips together lightly. Dom's hand came up to cup Arthur's cheek, holding him in place. Their lips moved slowly against each other, just enjoying the simple contact. Kissing was all they did these days, all Arthur could handle but that was okay.

Dom broke the kiss to prevent Arthur from getting to out of breath. Arthur draped an arm around his waist and nestled his head under his chin. Dom held him close, one arm wrapped protectively around him and the other hand stroking absently through the soft hair.

"Promise me something."

"Anything."

"Don't let me become like Mal. Let me go." Arthur said quietly.

Dom swallowed heavily. He'd made the mistake of trying to hold on to someone once. He wasn't going to do it again, much as it pained him. It wouldn't be the Arthur he'd known anyway.

"I promise."

"Thanks."

Not long later, he heard the quiet sounds of Arthur's breathing even out. The breath tickled the bare skin of his chest. It felt good. It meant Arthur was still with him.

The more weeks passed, the more Dom dreaded falling asleep, realizing that come morning, Arthur might not be breathing anymore. The thought scared him more than anything. The sadness he felt now would be nothing compared to the grief he'd feel when that day came. One tear slipped out. He let it fall.

"Please wake up tomorrow morning," Dom whispered quietly. Arthur let out a quiet sound in his sleep and shifted even closer, one leg resting between his and body now half covering him.

When he couldn't stay awake any longer, he let himself drift off, praying that tomorrow was not the day he'd have to say goodbye.


End file.
